Latest news with #RoyalMarsden
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Innovative treatment uses patient's own immune system to fight cancer
An innovative treatment called lifileucel, which uses a patient's own immune system to combat advanced melanoma, has shown promising results in extending the lives of patients, according to researchers. In a trial led by The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust involving 153 patients, almost 20 per cent of those with advanced melanoma survived for five years after receiving lifileucel, with the majority experiencing tumour shrinkage. Experts suggest lifileucel could be a transformative option for patients with advanced melanoma, where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The treatment involves isolating and growing T cells from tumours in a lab before infusing them back into the patient to fight cancer, and it has already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for advanced melanoma treatment. Zoe Phillips, a participant in the TIL therapy trial, experienced complete remission of her tumours six weeks after treatment, highlighting the potential of this therapy for patients with limited options.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Breakthrough breast cancer treatment could help 1,000 women a year
A new triple-drug treatment for aggressive advanced breast cancer can cut deaths by a third, a major trial has found. The international research used liquid biopsies – described as the 'golden key' to unlocking precision medicines – that identified suitable patients. All were suffering from one of the most common forms of breast cancer, which accounts for seven in 10 cases, and had a common mutation which makes it more deadly and aggressive. The three-drug therapy comprises two targeted drugs – palbociclib, a type of cancer growth blocker, and a new drug called inavolisib, which blocks the activity of the PI3K protein – as well as the hormone therapy fulvestrant. Until now, treatment options for such patients have been limited. The trial involving the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust enrolled 325 patients from 28 countries, including the UK. In all cases, cancer had spread or returned after hormone therapy and for those who had not yet received systemic treatment for metastatic disease. Of the total, 161 were given the three-drug combination. The placebo group, which included 164 patients, was given a dummy pill plus palbociclib and fulvestrant. The study found the median overall survival in the inavolisib group was 34 months, compared with 27 months in the placebo group. The therapy was far more likely to result in significant shrinkage of tumours. In total, 62.7 per cent of patients in the inavolisib group saw their tumours shrink by more than 30 per cent, compared with 28 per cent in the placebo group. The randomised, double blind trial also showed that the new combination delayed the progression of the disease by 17.2 months, on average, compared with 7.3 months in the control group. Women taking inavolisib were able to delay subsequent chemotherapy treatment by almost two years longer than the patients in the control group. Around 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, and 11,500 will die from the disease. The study involved women with one of the most common types of disease, who had a mutation which is more aggressive and deadly. Experts said around 1,000 women a year could be helped by the drug combination. The study, funded by pharmaceutical company Roche, which manufactures inavolisib, was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Lead author Nick Turner, professor of molecular oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said the therapy 'not only helped patients live longer, but it more than doubled the time before their cancer progressed or worsened. 'It also gave them more time before needing subsequent chemotherapy, which we know is something that patients really fear and want to delay for as long as possible,' he said. The oncologist said he hoped the triple therapy would become the standard of care for women who can benefit. Previous trial results led the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant 'breakthrough therapy' designation for inavolisib in May 2024 with costs of around $23,000 (£17,000) monthly. It has yet to be licensed in the UK. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: 'This research demonstrates how this triple combination approach, effectively shuts down cancer's escape routes, giving people with metastatic breast cancer the opportunity to live well for longer.' Dr Nisharnthi Duggan, research information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'These results are really positive news for people living with a type of hard-to-treat breast cancer. The trial showed that adding inavolisib to targeted treatment plans improved survival. On top of this, it also delayed the progression of people's cancer and the need for chemotherapy, which could improve quality of life. 'We hope that more research like this will help to give people kinder cancer treatment options, and more time with their loved ones.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
‘Breakthrough' breast cancer treatment can help women live longer
A 'breakthrough' new three-drug combination offers hope for women battling an aggressive form of breast cancer, potentially extending their lives and delaying the need for chemotherapy, according to new research. Experts suggest the treatment could become the "new go-to option" for individuals with PIK3CA-mutated hormone receptor positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer, a condition where a mutation in the PIK3CA gene leads to uncontrolled cell division. The findings come from the INAVO120 study, led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. The results, which included 325 patients from 28 countries, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. More than half had metastatic breast cancer that had spread to three or more organs and the majority had already had chemotherapy. Researchers used a blood test known as a liquid biopsy, which detects tumour DNA in the blood, to test for the PIK3CA mutation. Of the total, 161 were given a three-drug combination comprising two targeted drugs – palbociclib, a type of cancer growth blocker, and a new drug called inavolisib, which blocks the activity of the PI3K protein – as well as the hormone therapy fulvestrant. The placebo group, which included 164 patients, was given a dummy pill plus palbociclib and fulvestrant. The study found the median overall survival in the inavolisib group was 34 months, compared with 27 months in the placebo group. The three-drug therapy also delayed disease progression by 17.2 months, compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group, with patients also able to delay chemotherapy treatment by almost two years longer. The latest results come after previous analysis of the study, published in October, showed the three-drug therapy delayed disease progression by an average of 15 months compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group. Lead author Nick Turner, a professor of molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'The key findings from this study showed that the inavolisib-based therapy not only helped patients live longer but it more than doubled the time before their cancer progressed or worsened. 'It also gave them more time before needing subsequent chemotherapy which we know is something that patients really fear and want to delay for as long as possible. 'These results give us confidence that this treatment could become the new go-to option for patients who have HR+, HER2- breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, as it has shown significant improvements in both survival and quality of life.' It is estimated that about 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, some 70% of whom will have HR+, HER2- breast cancer. PIK3CA mutations are found in 35-40% of HR+ breast cancers. The three-drug therapy of inavolisib, palbociclib and fulvestrant is not approved in the UK. However, the combination of palbociclib and fulvestrant has been available as an option for patients with certain types of breast cancer on the NHS since 2022. Prof Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, added: 'If we are to continue improving cancer survival rates, we need to tackle treatment resistance head on. 'This research demonstrates how this triple combination approach effectively shuts down cancer's escape routes, giving people with metastatic breast cancer the opportunity to live well for longer. 'One of the challenges with combination therapies is ensuring the right drug dosages and understanding their individual effects. 'It is extremely encouraging that this study not only demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach but also shows that the therapy was generally well tolerated by patients.' Reacting to the findings, Dr Simon Vincent, director of research, support and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'This is a significant breakthrough and we're proud that it builds on a series of discoveries that our funded scientists have been making at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, since it opened 25 years ago. 'We now hope to see this new combination therapy can be licensed by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) and assessed by Nice (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the Scottish Medicine Council as soon as possible so that it can reach the NHS patients who could benefit from it.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Three-drug therapy helps women with aggressive breast cancer live longer
A new three-drug combination could help women with a common form of aggressive breast cancer live longer, research suggests. The treatment could also delay the need for gruelling chemotherapy, according to a trial. Researchers are hopeful the combination could become the 'new go-to option' for women with PIK3CA-mutated hormone receptor positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer. This mutation in the PIK3CA gene causes cells to divide and replicate uncontrollably. The final results from the INAVO120 study, led by experts at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. The trial included 325 patients from across 28 countries. More than half had metastatic breast cancer that had spread to three or more organs and the majority had already had chemotherapy. Researchers used a blood test known as a liquid biopsy, which detects tumour DNA in the blood, to test for the PIK3CA mutation. Of the total, 161 were given a three-drug combination comprising two targeted drugs – palbociclib, a type of cancer growth blocker, and a new drug called inavolisib, which blocks the activity of the PI3K protein – as well as the hormone therapy fulvestrant. The placebo group, which included 164 patients, was given a dummy pill plus palbociclib and fulvestrant. The study found the median overall survival in the inavolisib group was 34 months, compared with 27 months in the placebo group. The three-drug therapy also delayed disease progression by 17.2 months, compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group, with patients also able to delay chemotherapy treatment by almost two years longer. The latest results come after previous analysis of the study, published in October, showed the three-drug therapy delayed disease progression by an average of 15 months compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group. Lead author Nick Turner, a professor of molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'The key findings from this study showed that the inavolisib-based therapy not only helped patients live longer but it more than doubled the time before their cancer progressed or worsened. 'It also gave them more time before needing subsequent chemotherapy which we know is something that patients really fear and want to delay for as long as possible. 'These results give us confidence that this treatment could become the new go-to option for patients who have HR+, HER2- breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, as it has shown significant improvements in both survival and quality of life.' It is estimated that about 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, some 70% of whom will have HR+, HER2- breast cancer. PIK3CA mutations are found in 35-40% of HR+ breast cancers. The three-drug therapy of inavolisib, palbociclib and fulvestrant is not approved in the UK. However, the combination of palbociclib and fulvestrant has been available as an option for patients with certain types of breast cancer on the NHS since 2022. Prof Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, added: 'If we are to continue improving cancer survival rates, we need to tackle treatment resistance head on. 'This research demonstrates how this triple combination approach effectively shuts down cancer's escape routes, giving people with metastatic breast cancer the opportunity to live well for longer. 'One of the challenges with combination therapies is ensuring the right drug dosages and understanding their individual effects. 'It is extremely encouraging that this study not only demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach but also shows that the therapy was generally well tolerated by patients.' Reacting to the findings, Dr Simon Vincent, director of research, support and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'This is a significant breakthrough and we're proud that it builds on a series of discoveries that our funded scientists have been making at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, since it opened 25 years ago. 'We now hope to see this new combination therapy can be licensed by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) and assessed by Nice (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the Scottish Medicine Council as soon as possible so that it can reach the NHS patients who could benefit from it.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Immune-boosting drug ‘could change the world' for cancer patients – warding off killer for years
AN immune boosting drug can stave off throat cancer for years longer than current treatments, a trial found. Recovering head and neck cancer patients treated with pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, remained cancer -free for an average of five years. That was twice as long as the 2.5 years for patients given regular chemotherapy. The risk of tumour cells spreading elsewhere in the body was also 10 per cent lower, the Institute for Cancer Research in London found. Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy that is given before and after surgery. It works by boosting the body's own ability to seek and destroy cancer cells. Professor Kevin Harrington, trial leader author from the ICR and consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'For patients with newly-diagnosed, locally-advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven't changed in over two decades. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients with cancer that has come back or spread around the body but, until now, it hasn't been as successful for those presenting for the first time with disease which has spread to nearby areas. 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients. 'It significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat. 'The results of this trial show that pembrolizumab dramatically increases the duration of disease remission – for years longer than the current standard treatments.' Head and neck cancer refers to a group of cancers that can develop anywhere in the head or neck, including the mouth, the oesophagus, the space behind the nose, the salivary gland, and the voice box. Standard care, which includes surgery to remove tumours followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, has not changed for these patients in more than 20 years, according to researchers. The global Keynote-689 trial was carried out at 192 sites in 24 countries, and involved 714 patients. Some 363 people received pembrolizumab followed by standard care, with the remainder receiving standard care only. Pembrolizumab works by targeting a protein known as PD-L1, which is found on T cells and helps the immune system recognise and fight cancer. By blocking this protein, the treatment helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is already approved for use on its own or in combination with chemotherapy for patients with a certain type of head and neck cancer that has come back or spread around the body. The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting, found cancer returned in half the patients given pembrolizumab after five years, compared with two-and-a-half years in those receiving standard care. After three years, the risk of cancer returning somewhere else in the body was also 10 per cent lower among those on pembrolizumab. 'It could change the world' 'It works particularly well for those with high levels of immune markers,' Prof Harrington said 'But it's really exciting to see that the treatment improves outcomes for all head and neck cancer patients, regardless of these levels.' Around 13,000 Brits develop head and neck cancers each year and 4,200 die from them. Many tumours are linked to smoking. Symptoms vary depending on the type of cancer but include: persistent ulcers, white or red patches, lumps, sores and pain. 2
